Ocean City Life-Saving Museum

It might look small from the outside, but the exhibits inside are impressively well-organized and packed with information. There are plenty of display boards with artifacts, plus an aquarium room, a kids’ playroom, and a swimwear exhibit. The staff was incredibly friendly—one even offered my kids a paper worksheet with 3–4 questions for each room, encouraging them to read, explore, and discuss. We spent about 1.5 hours completing all the questions, and the kids were thrilled to receive a small bag of shark teeth as a special reward. Such a cool place! Parking was easy on a weekday. Highly recommend.

It's very small and not what I expected. I assumed things about life guards and saving equipment and techniques but that was not the case. But the staff was super friendly and thr room with the fish tanks was so cool.

Very nice museum, much more interesting than I was expecting.

It was a really nice museum and I really liked the magic lanterns they had on display.

you will be surprised to find how beautiful the ocean city from its history, majority of the founders with the females, the brave one of the history. There is a huge parking next to the building perhaps one of the biggest parking lot that can hold more than 2000 cars. You must go with friends and families. The ticket is five dollar and you don’t need a advanced booking.

Great little museum to visit with the wife and kids. Lots unique items and pictures to see having to do with information about OCMD's life saving history as far as the coast guard is concerned from the beginning till the present. Their is a very friendly staff on hand and the museum it self houses everything from a small aquarium to boats used in the past to save lives to samples of sands from around the world. Definitely a must see with 2 floors of so much to look at from floor to ceiling.

This engaging 2-story Life Saving museum has many fascinating displays chronicling the development of Ocean City with historical photographs and fabulous artifacts. Included with a book store, gift shop, and terrific aquarium room is an amazing and mesmerizing collection of sands, row upon row in small cups, from beaches all over the world ! In another section there is an enormous, restored wooden, open lifeboat. How did rescuers manhandle this extremely heavy (800+lbs) boat into a raging surf ? It's hard to believe the widespread extent of busy offshore traffic during the Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries. Incredible how often these ships ran into trouble necessitating life saving stations like Indian River. Upstairs contained thoughtful exhibits featuring influential and entrepreneurial women of that era as well as bathing suits from earlier times. The vivacious concierge was welcoming, so informative and eager to answer any questions. Children and adults will have a marvelous time. Check hours & fees first.✅👍🌞🏖⛵⚓.

My kids loved this place! They had a search and find game throughout the entire museum! Perfectly set up for kids and adults. We had a blast and will definitely be coming back next year!

Staff and Services: The staff here are super friendly and extremely informative they are always happy to answer any questions you may have. Prices: $ They have an amazing souvenir shop definitely must get a few things to Geneve your visit. Views: Their are so many historical photos and information plaques here and the have mini aquariums on the lower floor that were absolutely beautiful to see. Overall Experience: Our overall experience here was absolutely amazing so happy I was able to visit a history museum on my vacation here. Rating: 10/10 Recommendation: I highly rescinded giving this museum a visit when your in ocean city maryland. Family Friendly: It's very family friendly. Kids will definitely enjoy themselves here especially in the kids area. Stroller/Wheelchair Friendly: It is not very Wheelchair/ stroller Friendly as they have stairs and no elevator to get upstairs.

All the years I've been going to OC I had no idea that this museum existed. It was a welcomed surprise when everything is closed during the off season. There are multiple rooms of displays and information not only on the history of the life saving station, but the history of Ocean City. The aerial shots were interesting and the sand display, very informative. They also have a small aquarium room with some local sea-life horseshoe crab and the seahorses were my favorite. For 10 we were given a membership and a free mug and magnet, deal!

Nice representation of early Ocean City residents, antique clothing, housewares, surfing memorabilia. Very very little representative of the Life Saving Service or US Coast Guard. Disappointing given the name of the museum. Book shop is the best part.

What a great little find! Bob was very friendly and informative. Answered a lot of our questions. He's very knowledgeable about the history in the museum. There's a small room of fish and sea life from the area including eel, snails, crabs, and sea horses. Would love to see their tanks a little more adorn with things for the fish to interact with like more coral or wood etc. improving the quality of living for the fishes! But it was a neat addition with tons of shark teeth and sea facts. There's an upstairs with relics from old boardwalk/amusement parks from OC. Bruno and laughing Sal! Interactive displays. Interesting facts on women in history who have inflicted the area. A kids room! Coloring papers and a puppet theater stage. Downstairs there's a boat, life jackets, TVs showing some additional historical stories about the times. Sand from all over the world. So cool to see the difference in colors and textures that each country has. For $5 you really get your money worth and learn some fun fact about the area. The gift shop is also cute. Outside is an anchor to take pictures with and the light house. Highly recommend even if to just take some relief from the sun and heat!

Bottom Line: A lovely piece of Maryland history that is overshadowed by the tacky attractions of the boardwalk. This is a cute museum that is worth the $3 admission price. Not only is the historical building a gem, they have several interesting exhibits. When I visited I particularly enjoyed the lifesaving exhibit. They have a beautiful restored surfboat on loan from the Smithsonian. They also have some great artifacts that explain how life saving was done in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I can't even imagine how terrifying it must have been to be on a sinking ship in an awful storm and have to be saved by a "breeches buoy" or "life-car." The breeches buoy must be wear the saying comes from about "putting on your big boy pants" and the life car more closely resembles a watery tomb! I also liked the exhibit on surfing and I was moved by the video and story of East Coast surfing legend and pioneer Bill Wise. Bill was probably one of the first people on the East Coast who was propagating a surfing culture in the Atlantic and despite becoming paralyzed after a surfing accident, he remained optimistic and involved in the surfing industry. He even met Duke Kahanamoku during his career! (Duke was a swimmer in the 1912 Olympics from Waikiki, Hawaii but is most famous for being a surfing dude.) The "Boardwalk of Yesterday" was amusing and interesting. I learned that they used to have big wicker chairs that you could sit in and be pushed down the boardwalk by a strapping young man. Seeing pictures of pre-World War/Great War bathing suits is always fascinating too. They basically wore everyday clothes that were made of wool! Crazy. It was also interesting to see the prizes that were won back in the day like dolls that by today's standard belong in a Steven King movie. The docent was friendly and helpful. There was also a clean bathroom and a small gift shop. In my opinion, this is the best stop on the Boardwalk.

Loved this place from start to finish. The staff were attentive and active in introducing us to the history of this functional, and adorable, land mark. Kids got to participate in a scavenger hunt, which they loved and helped them to become familiar with coastal life. Highly recommend!

This museum is very well designed and interesting. As other reviewers said, it's much bigger inside than it appears on the outside. It took us (2 adults) 90 minutes to cover reading and looking at every single thing. The gift shop had some reasonably priced souvenirs and art. Well worth a trip and the $3-5 per person. I love that they give all military families free admission, also.

Very fun tour!Very cool artifacts.LOVE THE AQUARIUM!It was very fascinating They had toys from the early boardwalk some more creepier than others

Surprisingly special and a highlight of the trip. The museum is much larger than it appears from the outside. It's a fascinating history of the men who stood watch to rescue sailers from ships wrecked offshore, generally during severe storms. They saved thousands of lives during their years operating, braving extreme weather at great risk to their own lives. The museum also presents a neat history of Ocean City. One room is devoted to surfing. Another to the Indians who used to live hear. A third to the boardwalk and famous grand hotels and the families who developed the city. We come to Ocean City every year. Now I really appreciate the history of the town.

Great place to spend some time to learn the history of the place that we're vacationing. I think they offer free admission from time to time probably because its off season to attract more visitors. I had an enjoyable time visiting and would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the seashore town. It was really great to see old photographs and memorabilia on display from 60-70+ years ago. Quite a glimpse to see what life was like for the people both vacationing and living here in OC was like back then

I really enjoy going to the Ocean City Museum on the end of the boardwalk. Near by some of the great restaurants. Look out of the inlet. Museum show the history of the life grades. Some of the equipments. Also some of the sands all over the world from there beach. Video and pictures some time in the summer they have guides take you thou the museum. Only thing they have a second floor and no elevator so wheel chair can go free. They show a video so they can watch what on the second floor. Fish tanks and more.

Nice spot to cool Off and calm Down after the boardwalk... great kids room upstairs (coloring, 'tea', play lifesaving for teddy bear, ships wheel, etc.)

We come every year, at least once. This year it's been three times for me. It is only a few dollars to get in, and you will find that it is packed full of memorable exhibits on shipwreck history, timelines of lifesaving, appreciation for ocean life, and a archive of Ocean City's history and roots. It's important to know yesterday, to appreciate what we have today. The staff is always helpful and welcoming. It is also certainly family friendly. Kids will enjoy a shark scavenger hunt - our girls look forward to it every year. Stop in and learn the story of Ocean City Maryland's yesterday.

This was a very interesting museum and worth the $3 admission fee. Lots of history and artifacts of the past in Ocean City.

It is a wonderful place to go to learn about Ocean City's history. For a family of 4 the admission was $8. Kids are given a paper to fill out to receive a prize at the end of visiting the museum. It has a great little gift shop & it is staffed by very nice and knowledgable people who will greatly appreciate your visit :)

The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum is housed in the former Life-Saving Station/Coast Guard Building built in 1891 at the Inlet in Ocean City. The building used to be at Caroline Street and Boardwalk, but was moved to its present location in 1977. It is a wonderful place to go and soak in Ocean City's rich nautical and resort town history. The exhibits feature shipwrecks off the coast of Ocean City, Sand samples from around the world, the Boardwalk of Yesterday, Boardwalk Hotels and businesses, old fashioned bathing suits and much more!!!! It is staffed by very nice and knowledgable people who will greatly appreciate your visit. Don't forget to peruse their wonderful gift shop too!!!!